This page contains advice on where to seek urgent assistance and information, including the official helplines for this incident.

It also provides guidance on support services available for victims and all those affected by Grenfell Tower fire.

A dedicated website has been set up by the Grenfell Fire Response Team to support people affected by the fire.

Changes to Grenfell immigration policy to support survivors and relatives

The Home Office has announced changes to the immigration policy for survivors of the Grenfell Tower tragedy.
If you are an eligible survivor, the changes will allow you to stay in the UK and apply for permanent residence with full access to relevant support and assistance. To qualify for the scheme you need to come forward in person before Thursday 30 November 2017.

After initially being given limited leave for 12 months outside the current Immigration Rules, you will then be able to apply for further leave. You will need to live legally in the UK for a total of 5 years under the policy to be able to apply for permanent residence. This is subject to meeting relevant requirements. The change will help provide eligible survivors with greater certainty over their long-term future in the UK.

The Home Office has also announced that if you are a family member or a relative of a survivor or victim of the tragedy, you will now also be able to extend current leave outside the Immigration Rules up to 6 months from when you entered. This is subject to meeting relevant requirements. This will allow you time with your loved ones and provide support to them or organise funeral arrangements.

Anyone who believes they are eligible for the either scheme can speak face-to-face to a specialist Home Office team at the Community Assistance Centre, 10 Bard Road, Nottingdale, West London W10 6TP. You will need to bring along your passport or travel documents to confirm your identity.

If you are a relative, you should bring along any information or evidence that shows why you need to stay in the UK for up to six months from date of entry.

To learn more about either scheme, individuals can also call our helpline on (0300 303 2832) 24 hours a day to arrange for a call back by a member of our specialist visa and passport team.

Urgent advice and support for victims, their friends and families

The Grenfell Fire Response team are currently responding to what the community are telling them they need. If you come to the Community Assistance Centre, No 10 Bard Road, Nottingdale, West London, W10 6TP you will be able to access services and support provided by the team from 10am to 8pm.

There are a range of support services available in the Community Assistance Centre. This includes housing needs, emergency funds, health, social care services, experienced volunteers from the Red Cross and other organisations, food and above all, a kind and sympathetic team of people ready to provide advice on anything.

A Red Cross helpline is in action to help give practical or emotional support to anyone who needs it and capacity of this is being expanded to give people a central point of contact. The number is 0800 458 9472 - available 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday. Out of these hours, messages can be left on an answerphone which will be picked up and responded to from 8am.

People who wish to contact relatives overseas and have no means of doing so can call the Red Cross on 0800 458 9472, or email their tracing service tracing@redcross.org.uk.

Residents who are displaced due to the fire please call the Kensington and Chelsea Council housing line on 020 7361 3008.

Any family and friends concerned about their loved ones please contact the police investigation team on 0800 032 4539. If someone was reported as missing and has been found safe, please call the police investigation team with an update.

The Care for Grenfell team has been set up to talk to any residents that have been affected by the Grenfell Tower fire who feel that their concerns or requests have not been fully answered. If people do have any questions or concerns that they feel haven’t been met, please call 020 7745 6414 or email careforgrenfell@rbkc.gov.uk. The line is open from Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

NHS services

The NHS encourages Londoners to use NHS services wisely and seek advice from NHS 111 in the first instance.

In response to the needs of patients, NHS partners in West London have set up a multidisciplinary health outreach team to support patients, families and neighbours affected by the tragedy.

The team is currently located at the Community Assistance Centre, No 10 Bard Road, Nottingdale, West London, W10 6TP and is able to provide emotional support and physical checks. The health team is also able to signpost to GP services and more specialist mental health services.

The health outreach team is able to visit you at your place of residence or at another location
of your choosing, such as a local community centre.

Non-urgent referrals can be made to the outreach team by calling 07712 231 133. This is a direct line to the team at the Community Assistance Centre, No 10 Bard Road, Nottingdale, West London, W10 6TP, who will organise a non-urgent visit.

The team can visit the patient on the day of the referral or the following day. Alternatively, referrals can be emailed to cnw-tr.westway@nhs.net.

The first port of call for physical, emotional or mental health needs for any resident should be your own GP. Your GP will provide the all-important continuity of care, and is able to signpost to more specialist services.

Local GP practices are well placed to support people with emotional and mental health needs with an enhanced service in place.

If you do not have a GP, you can register for one online at www.nhs.uk by entering your postcode. If you do not have access to the internet, please call 020 8962 4600 and a member of the team will help you.

The line is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm.

Through the NHS 111 service, GP appointments are also available if needed at the St Charles Centre for Health and Wellbeing Integrated Care Centre, Exmoor Street, London W10 6DZ.

Emergency fund for Grenfell Tower residents

Every household whose home has been destroyed as a result of the fire will receive a guaranteed £5,500 minimum down payment from the fund. This will be made up of a £500 cash payment and £5,000 delivered through the Department of Work and Pensions into bank accounts or similar in a single payment;

The £500 cash payment has already begun to be made available to those affected and further payments are available immediately from the council at the Community Assistance Centre, No 10 Bard Road, Nottingdale, West London, W10 6TP, or from Monday 19 June through the Post Office in Portobello Road, as and when families need it;

The £5,000 payment has been available since Monday 19 June and support workers will assist households in accessing it - including those who do not have bank accounts;

The fund is also being made available to meet funeral costs, and to top up payments for those households with complex or additional needs.

The fund is being kept under review and will increase if necessary.

Benefit enquiry line

The government has set up a dedicated benefit enquiry line for people affected by the fire at Grenfell Tower. The following numbers will be manned between 8am and 6.30pm, Monday to Friday:

020 7941 6661

020 7941 6634

020 7941 6671

The Department of Work and Pensions have announced that benefits will not be affected for people from W11 postcodes ending in 1TQ, 1TG, 1WA and 1WB. Any Work Capability Assessments and medical evidence deadlines will be postponed.

Banks offering help

The banking industry is ready to help people who have lost their homes in the fire at Grenfell Tower who have also lost all access to their bank cards, accounts and ID documents. Banks have been contacting customers to provide assistance and arrange emergency access to funds.

Find out more information about what the banks are offering, with appropriate helpline numbers.

Support package across energy, water and telecommunications sectors

Utility companies have announced a package of support for victims of the Grenfell Tower fire. Suppliers have agreed to write off outstanding utility bills for victims of the fire, as well as providing other assistance. This support comes on top of £5 million fund to pay for emergency supplies, food, clothes and other costs.

Royal Mail support for Grenfell Tower residents

For directly affected customers, Royal Mail are making the following alternative service provisions:

a free mail redirection service for displaced residents; this can be arranged online at www.royalmail.com/redirection, at a Post Office® by completing a form (PDF, 1.77 MB) in the branch or printing this off, or by calling their dedicated emergency line on 01752 387 055

keeping the mail of affected residents safe until they are able to collect it, or contact Royal Mail to request it

providing a mobile service for customers to collect their mail, at the Community Assistance Centre, No 10 Bard Road, Nottingdale, West London, W10 6TP; this service can be arranged by calling 01752 387 055

Mail for Grenfell Tower can be collected from Royal Mail’s West London Delivery Office, Unit 20-23, West London Delivery Office, Premier Park Road, NW10 7NZ (open Monday to Friday, 8am to 2pm, and Saturday, 8am to 1pm).

Mail collection is also available by prior arrangement on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from the Royal Mail desk at the Grenfell Community Assistance Centre.

Those who consider they are eligible for the scheme can speak face-to-face to our specialist Home Office team at the Community Assistance Centre, No 10 Bard Road, Nottingdale, West London, W10 6TP from 10am to 8pm. You are welcome to bring someone with you to the centre to help you.

People directly affected by the fire at Grenfell Tower who are seeking guidance on UK passports, visas, or immigration, can call 0300 303 2832, 24 hours a day, to arrange for a call back by specialist teams.

The Home Office will not charge people who need to replace documentation that has been lost in the fire at Grenfell Tower.

Any calls from outside the UK should include the UK dialling code: +44(0)300 303 2832. Please note calls are in English for this dedicated line set up for those impacted by the fire at Grenfell Tower to help with passports, visas or immigration guidance.

The Home Office will not use this tragic incident as a reason to carry out immigration checks on those providing vital information to identify victims.

Driving licences and vehicle registration certificates

The DVLA has set up a dedicated enquiry line for residents affected by the tragedy who need to replace their driving licence or vehicle registration certificate. The number to call is 0300 083 0103 which will be staffed from 8am to 5pm between Monday and Friday.

Applications will be dealt with immediately and all fees that apply for issuing replacements will be waived.

Legal and housing advice

If your home was affected by the fire:

call the council’s housing line on 020 7361 3008 for advice and support;

out-of-hours support is also available on 0800 137 111. Or you can also get help at the Community Assistance Centre.

Grenfell Tower residents can get free legal and housing advice from Shelter.

Discretionary Funding for residents who have returned to their homes

Funding for residents who have returned to their homes, but can show an on-going financial need due to the fire can apply by phone by calling: 0207 745 6464.

An assessment will be undertaken over the phone, and any awards will be collectable from the Post Office, 325 Portobello Road, W10 5SY.

Legal aid

Legal aid is readily available to help individuals and families made homeless by this disaster. Funding is also available for families to support them as they prepare for inquests. We actively encourage any affected family to apply for funding, which is granted by the independent Legal Aid Agency. Find out more.

The Legal Aid Agency has provided a single email for enquiries about any aspect of the legal aid application process:

Helpline advice is also available on how legal aid works for providers and victims by calling 0300 200 2020.

Emergency interpretation service

A team of professional interpreters are on hand at the Community Assistance Centre, No 10 Bard Road, Nottingdale, West London, W10 6TP to help survivors and those affected by the Grenfell Tower tragedy.

The emergency interpretation service can translate English into Arabic, Dari, Farsi, Urdu, Pashto, Turkish, Bengali and more.

The dedicated team is on hand during centre hours from 10am to 8pm, 7 days a week.

Support through the Public Inquiry

Victims and their families will receive funding for legal representation at the Public Inquiry, and victims will be fully consulted before the Inquiry begins, allowing them to say what they think it should cover. Speaking to those involved will make sure the Inquiry covers the tough questions that need answering. Details of how to access this legal funding and how the consultation is going to work will follow once the Inquiry has been set up.

The Inquiry will be led by Sir Martin Moore-Bick, a retired judge, who will have the power to summon witnesses and hear evidence on oath. The inquiry will not delay the identification of those affected by this horrific incident.

Support for families over the summer

A new space for families will be available from Wednesday to Friday, 1pm to 5pm at Holmfield House, 4–6 Golborne Road, W10 5PE so that people can cook a meal, eat around a dining table and relax with their family.

They will also have access to a garden area and laundry facilities. The space has been open since Wednesday 2 August. Utensils, crockery, cutlery and table cloths will be available as well as some basic ingredients, however families should bring their own food and laundry supplies.

People who want to use the space should contact their Key Worker.

Summer childcare

For those who need additional support, childcare is available for 2 to 5 days per week over the summer holidays. Priority is given to children who are currently staying in hotels, however there are also places available in playschemes across the borough for children over the age of 6.

People should contact their Key Worker if they would like to discuss these options.

Childcare room at the Community Assistance Centre

A childcare room is now open at the Community Assistance Centre, 10 Bard Road, W10 6TP so that young people and families can enjoy entertainment and have fun. The room is open Monday to Friday, 10am to 5.30pm and on Saturdays from 11am to 3pm.

The room has space for up to 3 children at a time, and parents are asked to collect their children within an hour and a half. Although no childcare services will be available, parents can stay and play with their children.

Entertainment will include film screenings, child entertainers, art therapy or interactive shows. A family engagement officer will also be available on site every day to help families to access childcare, discuss their child’s needs and provide family support if needed.

Support from Key Workers

Key Workers are the first point of contact for affected residents and their families and can point you in the right direction to the support you need. They can be accessed at the Grenfell Community Assistance Centre, 10 Bard Road, W10 6TP from 10am to 8pm.

Support offered by Key Workers ranges from help to obtain documents such as passports and driving licences, through to psychological support, as well as housing, education and health assistance.

To request a Key Worker, change a Key Worker, or if anyone is unable to reach their Key Worker, please ring the helpline on 020 7745 6400 or email GrenfellTowerKeyWorkerHub@rbkc.gov.uk. The line is open
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. The team can be contacted out-of-hours on 020 7373 2227.

Updates

Mental health support

If you are affected by the Grenfell Tower fire, either directly or indirectly, and in need of mental health support or psychological therapy you can call a dedicated NHS response service number where you can get access to mental health support services as well as information and advice 24 hours a day.

NHS run a walk in service at the Community Assistance Centre, 4 Bard Road, W10 6TP from 10am until 8pm every
day to help people that want to talk to someone about mental health support.

If you are worried about your mental health as a result of this event please see this NHS trauma leaflet (PDF, 50.2KB, 2 pages) It outlines common reactions, simple suggestions for how to cope and ways in which children may be supported to cope.

Many symptoms may be a normal response to a terrible experience and will reduce over time. If your symptoms are severe and you are in distress or they last longer than 4 weeks, this may indicate the need for support from a mental health professional. The information on the NHS Choices website will outline possible symptoms and describe how to seek help. Please visit your GP who will be able to provide advice and refer you on to the appropriate local NHS mental health service for assessment and treatment.

If you are under 18, or concerned about someone who is under 18, please look on NHS Choices for your local children and young people’s mental health service. Children and young people may also access NHS help by visiting their GP, and schools may be able to provide support or refer them to local services.

Samaritans offers emotional support round the clock. Anyone can contact Samaritans in confidence at any time for free from any phone on 116 123 (even if you don’t have credit on your mobile). This number will not show up on your phone bill.

CALM offers support to men, who can call the confidential helpline on 0808 802 58 58 or visit www.thecalmzone.net. The line is open every day from 5pm to 12 midnight.

In response to feedback, additional services are now available including:

sessions with the Samaritans in various hotels

a new safe space for out of hours emotional support, run by Hestia and located on Kingsdown Close. It is open all night, 7 days a week

Mental health and emotional support for young people

The Grenfell Tower fire has left lots of young people worried and upset. If a young person in your family or who you care for has been affected, either directly or indirectly, there are lots of services available to help.

Support for children

If you are a parent, relative, friend or teacher of a child affected by the Grenfell Tower fire, you may have questions about how to support them.

Support over the phone

Young people under 25 can call Childline on 0800 1111 and have a one-to-one chat with a supportive, trained counsellor anytime, day or night.

Young people can also call the Samaritans helpline on 116 123. The line is open 24 hours a day.

The British Red Cross helpline is also available to anyone who has been affected by the Grenfell Tower fire. For practical or emotional support please call the helpline on 0800 458 9472. The line is open from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday.

Online services

Kooth.com is a free online counselling service for children aged 11 to 19.

NHS Go provides health information for young people under the age of 25, including advice on coping with stress after a major incident.

Community organisations

The Good Grief Trust aims to ensure that young people can talk to someone and get free, confidential support. A programme of events will be taking place this summer to allow young people to have fun and receive one-to-one support if they have been affected by the Grenfell Tower fire. Details of these events will be shared in the near future.

Art Therapy sessions with fully qualified art psychotherapists are taking place at the Al Manaar Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre every Saturday from 2pm to 4pm. Art therapy can be an excellent way for children and young people to address emotional issues. For more information contact Susan Rudnik at s.rudnik@gold.ac.uk or call 07932 054 834.

The Big House will provide fun and high energy drama workshops at local community centres throughout the summer. They create a safe space for children and young people to explore their feelings through drama. For more details contact Dawn Howley at dawn@thebighouse.uk.com.

Overnight support at the Harrow Club, 187 Freston Road, W10 6TH. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday: 8pm to 8am.
Provides support to people feeling depressed or anxious or are struggling to sleep.

Schools, youth clubs, play centres and children’s centres

The council is providing support in affected schools, including one to one counselling for pupils affected by the fire, and support for family members. To find out what is available at your child’s school, speak to the school office.

An extended programme of activities is available through local youth clubs and play centres, including counselling, play and art therapy and support from mental health organisations such as Place2Be and MIND.

Local children’s centres and other childcare locations are able to offer advice and support for families, including helping families access counselling services.

Support for disabled children and children with learning difficulties

Full of Life Kensington and Chelsea is providing outreach counselling to support parents with disabled children. A programme of additional short breaks is being put in place for the summer period. Please visit their website for more details.

Extra support available

If you think a child or young person is in need of more support than can be provided by the services above, you can call the dedicated NHS response line on 0800 0234 650 or email cnw-tr.spa@nhs.net. This is available 24 hours a day. Please let the operator know you are calling as a result of the Grenfell Tower fire.

Bereavement support

Cruse Bereavement Care is a national charity for bereaved people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Cruse offers support to adults, young people and children when someone dies, whatever the circumstances. They offer face-to-face, telephone, email and website support.

Their free phone helpline is 0808 808 1677 and is open Monday to Friday 9:30am to 5pm (excluding bank holidays), with extended hours to 8pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. You can also email them on helpline@cruse.org.uk.

Physical injuries

If you are experiencing or are concerned about physical problems, seek advice and help from one of the range of NHS services available.

How you can help

Volunteer

If you would like to volunteer to help with the support effort being co-ordinated by Kensington and Chelsea Council please register your interest by emailing grenfellvolunteers@rbkc.gov.uk including your name, contact number and availability.

Donate

The British Red Cross charity has been asked by Kensington and Chelsea Council to help co-ordinate fundraising in an appeal to support the residents and neighbours of the Grenfell Tower fire. By donating to their London Fire Relief Fund, you can help those who have been left bereaved, injured, or homeless by this tragedy.

Police appeal for photos/videos

The police are appealing for anyone with any photos or videos relating to the incident to send them to their investigation team. Please select ‘Grenfell Investigation’ from the drop down menu before uploading anything.

22 August 2017
Added note about temporary move for The Curve community assistance centre over Notting Hill Carnival weekend, from Friday 25 to Monday 28 August. Added contact for Care for Grenfell team set up to talk to any residents that have been affected by the Grenfell Tower fire who feel that their concerns
or requests have not been fully answered.

2 August 2017
Added information about the Transport for London support line for residents.

1 August 2017
Added information on support for families over the summer and support from Key Workers.

25 July 2017
Added updated information on Royal Mail support for Grenfell Tower residents.

21 July 2017
Updated opening hours for the Red Cross helpline.

21 July 2017
Updated details for the North Kensington Law Centre.

21 July 2017
Updated DVLA times.

20 July 2017
Added contact details for the North Kensington Law Centre.

20 July 2017
Changed references of the support services location from the Westway Centre, to The Curve, No 10 Bard Road, Nottingdale, West London, W10 6TP.

18 July 2017
Added updated NHS services information.

17 July 2017
Added details for the emergency interpretation service.

14 July 2017
Added further information on mental health and emotional support for young people.

11 July 2017
Legal aid contact email address added.

7 July 2017
Update: Red Cross helpline (0800 458 9472) is now available from 8am to 8pm. Out of these hours, messages can be left on an answerphone which will be picked up and responded to at 8am.

7 July 2017
UK passports, visas and immigration support updated.

5 July 2017
UK passports, visas and immigration advice updated.

1 July 2017
The opening hours for the Westway Centre are changing from Saturday 1 July to 10am-8pm.

28 June 2017
Added details of the Red Cross tracing service for contacting relatives overseas.

26 June 2017
Added a link to health advice from Public Health England.

23 June 2017
Added business support contacts for people whose businesses may have been affected by the tragic events at Grenfell Tower.

23 June 2017
Added phone number for the police investigation team: 0800 032 4539, this replaces the Casualty Bureau number. Any family and friends concerned about their loved ones please contact the police investigation team on 0800 032 4539.

22 June 2017
Added details of support available from Royal Mail.

22 June 2017
Added information about the announcement of a support package across energy, water and telecommunications sectors.

20 June 2017
Facebook and Twitter details of the Grenfell Fire Response team have been added.

20 June 2017
Added further information about free housing advice available from Shelter.

19 June 2017
Information about support through the Public Inquiry has been added. Information about legal aid has been added.

19 June 2017
Added details of the DVLA's new dedicated phone line for Grenfell related calls.

19 June 2017
Information about the Grenfell Tower assistance centre has been updated.

19 June 2017
Added details for Samaritans.

19 June 2017
Added Shelter London advice line details.

18 June 2017
Information about the Grenfell Tower Residents' Discretionary Fund has been added.

18 June 2017
Instructions for residents affected by the tragedy who need to replace their driving licence or vehicle registration certificate have been added.

18 June 2017
Instructions on how to send the police investigation team photos/videos relating to the incident have been added.

18 June 2017
A visas and passports advice line is now available for people affected by the Grenfell Tower fire.

17 June 2017
Information about the London Fire Relief Fund has been added.

16 June 2017
An NHS response service telephone number where people affected can get access to mental health support services as well as information and advice 24/7 has been added.

16 June 2017
Advice on pet support has been added.

16 June 2017
Information for foreign nationals in the UK affected by the Grenfell Tower fire has been added.
Advice about air quality and smoke exposure has also been added.